Dual axle ?

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Gambler boat with dual axle trailer, brakes of course.<br />What is up with all this slop when you stop and take off?<br />Is the trailer suppose to move like that or is it low on brake fluid or what?<br /><br />When you stop you don't notice it as much as when you take off and then you can feel that movement.<br /><br />Any ideas people?<br />Thanks

 

[JohnRuff]

Re: Dual axle ?

What kind of brakes? Electric or surge?<br /><br />It may be as simple as your receiver holding your bar and ball losely. Does your bar make noise if you shake it without the trailer attached?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Dual axle ?

They are electric. Has the 5 pin plug on them.<br />The bar is tight in the reciever, no slop there at all.<br />On a new truck with tow package installed from factory

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Dual axle ?

Spinner turn your sensor up on your controler a little so the brakes will start catching sooner.<br />You need to slightly feel the trailer brakes just after you apply the foot brake in the tow vech.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Dual axle ?

Tandem axles, whether or not there are brakes on all four wheels, tend to exhibit more movement than a single axle due to the walking beam. There are simply more joints than on a single axle.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Dual axle ?

Ok guys, sorry, guess they are surge brakes after looking at them again.<br /><br />Has it's own onboard master cylinder and just the normal 5 pin connector for the back up sensor.<br /><br />I guess when you apply your brakes a rod hooked to the coupler pushes back to activate the master cylinder to the trailer brakes.<br /><br />I will have to check the fluid tomorrow.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Dual axle ?

Ok, checked fluid, low but not empty, filled it up.<br />You can move the actuator by hand fairly easy, not real easy, but you can move it in or back but not real easy to get it to come back out or forward, you have to work at it, if that makes any sense<br />It is an A60 actuator.<br />Released lock and used screwdriver to pump the rod and it works easy, not froze up or anything, so I guess my next action would be to bleed them.<br />Will keep you posted and thanks.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Dual axle ?

Spinner,<br />Surge brakes always do that. The actuator slides forward during braking, and slides back when you take off. It is that movement and the actuator hitting the end that makes that "clunk" you hear and feel. I'm guessing you've not had surge brakes before. Took me some getting used to also.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Dual axle ?

You mean they will do that forever?!!!! <br /><br />No, electric brakes here is all I've had. First surge brakes for sure.<br />So they will always do that then?<br />How do you tell if the brakes are working right then?<br />I thought that when it came forward it pushed the rod into the master cylinder to apply the trailer brakes.<br />Am I missing something here?

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Dual axle ?

Try adjusting them.

 

[salty87]

Re: Dual axle ?

it's hard to tell how much movement you're talking about but surge brakes will always have some play in them. you shouldn't notice it as much slowing down but the trailer will have to surge somewhat to engage the brakes. it shouldn't slam though. <br /><br />taking off, you'll feel and hear it more. but if you roll forward a foot or so first, slowly, before taking off you can extend the actuator so you don't get the big clunk when the light turns green. gotta get the hang of it sort of thing.<br /><br />you can do the same slowing down, if you have the time. slow the tow vehicle enough only to let the trailer's brakes engage (slow just enough to let the trailer push the actuator in), not so much that the whole rig starts to slow down. the surge brakes won't disengage until the tow vehicle extends the actuator. from there, you can slow down faster without all the noise and clunking or take your time and let the trailer drag you slower. i let the trailer brakes drag going down big hills in my neighborhood to get to the ramp....get them dragging before starting down the hill, more of a controlled descent.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Dual axle ?

Thanks fellows, I will try to adjust them and see what happens.<br />I don't notice it slowing down, but you sure do when you take off.<br /><br />As far as how much movement, the full length of the slide.<br />I can push it in by hand with no problem.

 

[LewisW96]

Re: Dual axle ?

If you want to know if they are working then unplug the five wire plug and try backing up a slight hill with the boat on the trailer. The axle with the brakes should lockup and if you give the truck more gas they will skid.<br /><br />Lewis

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Dual axle ?

LouLou, I can move it around with my tractor with no effect on braking if that means anything.

 

[salty87]

Re: Dual axle ?

"I can push it in by hand with no problem."<br /><br />That's no good.

 

[KM2]

Re: Dual axle ?

Something isn't right. I don't think you should be able to push in by hand. I can't push mine by hand or foot for that matter. <br /><br />The clunking is what surge brakes do. After a hard brake I always inch forward to pull the actuator back before hitting the gas pedal.

 

[jeff_nicholas]

Re: Dual axle ?

Try activating your brakes with the 2X4 method: <br />

<br />You should be able to tell if you're bottoming or just building pressure with the movement (you will have to pull the coupler back out by hand).<br /><br /><br />You might also check to see if your trailer ball is the correct size.

 

[Bob in Calif.]

Re: Dual axle ?

I think a little easier method of testing the movement and an easy way to bleed the brakes, is to remove the hitch from the receiver and place the ball into the coupling. Set the coupling lock and lift on the hitch shaft to activate the master cylinder.<br /><br />It has always worked for me.<br /><br />..Bob in Calif...

 

[travism]

Re: Dual axle ?

Bob, I think that only works if you have the type of actuator that rotates instead of the kind that slide in and out. Sounds to me like he has the kind that slides in and out.<br /><br />I've never been able to get the 2x4 method to work, so I just hooked up to the truck and inched forward and backward with the trailer wheels chocked to bleed the brakes and test the actuator.

 

[QC]

Re: Dual axle ?

I have an A-60 and I can move it by hand, but only about a 1/4 inch. It seems to stop as soon as it begins to push on the cylinder. I can then pull it back too, but again only around a 1/4 inch or so. This is my second A-60 and I have had no problems with either of them. The first setup was single drum and I had to adjust and screw around a lot, but again the actuator was never an issue. With the latest set-up they're four wheel disc and they plain rock!<br /><br />With the five pin system, the backing method to check should work very well. Just unplug it. I am guessing with your tractor that there would be no lock out (no wires) and that there is no problem backing? If so, they're not working.<br /><br />If these are discs adjustment should not be an issue. Also, the discs themselves should be relatively clean (no rust) after some hard braking. The clunk thing is absolutely normal as the others have noted, and you will get good at minimizing it with a little practice.